Geographical movements, site fidelity and connectivity of killer whales within and outside herring grounds in Icelandic coastal waters
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Standard
Geographical movements, site fidelity and connectivity of killer whales within and outside herring grounds in Icelandic coastal waters. / Marchon, Tatiana M. J.; Rasmussen, Marianne H.; Basran, Charla J.; Whittaker, Megan; Bertulli, Chiara G.; Harlow, Cathy; Lott, Rob; Boisseau, Oliver; Gendron, Frédéric; Guo, Luisa; Hudson, Tess; Jónsson, Hörður; Kershaw, Alexa; Kinni, Joonas; Lionnet, Laetitia A. M. G.; Louis, Marie; Messina, Matt; Michel, Hanna; Neubarth, Barbara K.; Ovide, Belén G.; Podt, Annemieke E.; Rempel, Jonathan N.; Ryan, Conor; Savage, Eddy; Scott, Judith; Smit, Ronald; Verdaat, Hans; Vignisson, Solvi R.; Samarra, Filipa I. P.
In: Marine Biology, Vol. 171, 30, 2024.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Author
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Geographical movements, site fidelity and connectivity of killer whales within and outside herring grounds in Icelandic coastal waters
AU - Marchon, Tatiana M. J.
AU - Rasmussen, Marianne H.
AU - Basran, Charla J.
AU - Whittaker, Megan
AU - Bertulli, Chiara G.
AU - Harlow, Cathy
AU - Lott, Rob
AU - Boisseau, Oliver
AU - Gendron, Frédéric
AU - Guo, Luisa
AU - Hudson, Tess
AU - Jónsson, Hörður
AU - Kershaw, Alexa
AU - Kinni, Joonas
AU - Lionnet, Laetitia A. M. G.
AU - Louis, Marie
AU - Messina, Matt
AU - Michel, Hanna
AU - Neubarth, Barbara K.
AU - Ovide, Belén G.
AU - Podt, Annemieke E.
AU - Rempel, Jonathan N.
AU - Ryan, Conor
AU - Savage, Eddy
AU - Scott, Judith
AU - Smit, Ronald
AU - Verdaat, Hans
AU - Vignisson, Solvi R.
AU - Samarra, Filipa I. P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Investigating the movements and site fidelity of individuals enhances our understanding of population ecology and structure. Killer whales occur around the coast of Iceland; however, information on the connectivity between different regions is limited to herring grounds, where they are observed frequently. In this study, we used photo-identification data to investigate the movements and site fidelity of whales within (South and West) and outside (Southwest, Northwest, Northeast and East) Icelandic herring grounds. Additionally, we used a 10-year photo-identification dataset in the South to investigate long-term site fidelity patterns to a single location. Of the 440 individuals sighted more than once, nearly half (48%) moved between herring grounds and site fidelity was higher within, compared to outside, herring grounds. Outside herring grounds, individuals showed: more movement from Southwest to West compare to South, indicating this region is not exclusively a passage between herring grounds; low site fidelity to the Northeast with fewer photographic matches to other regions, suggesting individuals found here may be part of an offshore population that occasionally visits the area; and low proportion of matches to other regions in the Northwest and East, although small sample sizes precluded firm conclusions. Finally, long-term residency of killer whales in the South showed dynamic patterns, likely caused by prey availability and/or environmental changes. This study elucidates the complexities of killer whale occurrence and connectivity within the North Atlantic and suggests population structure that should be further investigated for appropriate regional conservation assessments.
AB - Investigating the movements and site fidelity of individuals enhances our understanding of population ecology and structure. Killer whales occur around the coast of Iceland; however, information on the connectivity between different regions is limited to herring grounds, where they are observed frequently. In this study, we used photo-identification data to investigate the movements and site fidelity of whales within (South and West) and outside (Southwest, Northwest, Northeast and East) Icelandic herring grounds. Additionally, we used a 10-year photo-identification dataset in the South to investigate long-term site fidelity patterns to a single location. Of the 440 individuals sighted more than once, nearly half (48%) moved between herring grounds and site fidelity was higher within, compared to outside, herring grounds. Outside herring grounds, individuals showed: more movement from Southwest to West compare to South, indicating this region is not exclusively a passage between herring grounds; low site fidelity to the Northeast with fewer photographic matches to other regions, suggesting individuals found here may be part of an offshore population that occasionally visits the area; and low proportion of matches to other regions in the Northwest and East, although small sample sizes precluded firm conclusions. Finally, long-term residency of killer whales in the South showed dynamic patterns, likely caused by prey availability and/or environmental changes. This study elucidates the complexities of killer whale occurrence and connectivity within the North Atlantic and suggests population structure that should be further investigated for appropriate regional conservation assessments.
KW - Movements
KW - North Atlantic
KW - Orcinus orca
KW - Photo-identification
KW - Residency
U2 - 10.1007/s00227-023-04345-7
DO - 10.1007/s00227-023-04345-7
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85179998023
VL - 171
JO - Marine Biology
JF - Marine Biology
SN - 0025-3162
M1 - 30
ER -
ID: 378189952